One of my biggest criticisms with Android is that it’s inexcusably complex to use on PC. The way that Apple combines iOS – its mobile OS – with MacOS – its desktop OS – isn’t perfect, but it’s miles ahead of anything Android has done, thus pushing me towards the Apple ecosystem even further. Trying to text from my PC using Android, meant that I needed to purchase a $5.99 monthly app, which was buggy, slow, and inefficient. On Mac, it’s flawless, and with the latest updates, iMessage and Messages are synced across all my Apple devices. If I take a picture on my phone, and want to edit on my PC, then send back to smartphone to upload to Instagram, there are numerous steps involved, one of them including purchasing an app. Something that Apple AirDrop solves in one step. I could go on, but I think you get the point. The integration between mobile and desktop with Android and Windows is almost non-existent.

Well, until now it seems.

According to The Verge, Microsofts new app “Your Phone” will be sent out to Windows Insiders to test out this week. And supposedly it aims to be released in Windows 10 next “Redstone 5” update coming this fall. The app can mirror both iOS and Android phone features, but will be much more integrated with Android, obviously. It will include access to SMS texting, Photos, and notifications initially. While I think much more needs to be added to be a competitor to Apple’s iOS/MacOS integration, it’s a great first step, and being able to text straight from your PC desktop is something that needs to happen ASAP. But features similar to AirDrop, synced messages, cross-devices FaceTime, and automatic app downloading, are something I’d like to see as well. We will hear more about it on the second day of the keynote.